One Moment More
by Bee'sAnatomy
Summary: What if your greatest temptation was the person you had to spend everyday with? What happens if you let your guard down just for a moment? Will that moment change your life forever...
1. Chapter 1

This is a Dempeo fic. It is not meant to offend anyone or insinuate that Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey are secretly together in real life. They are both very married and I know nothing about their personal lives. I do think that the idea of two people spending that much time togther and having so much chemistry is interesting. It sparks an interesting "what if story" If you find this offensive don't read it. It's rated mature for future chapters. The story picks in the first weeks of filming season two of Grey's Anatomy. I hope you like it!

"It's weird being back," Ellen smiled into the eyes of her co-star.

"It is," he returned her glittering smile. Though they had spent 3 months apart, Patrick and Ellen's Chemistry had not faded.

"Did you actually think that it would be a hit television show? That we would be on a hit television series?" Ellen asked excitedly sitting down on the couch next to Patrick. Patrick couldn't take her eyes off of her, but she felt as if she wasn't listening to her. "After only nine episodes, you were named the sexiest man on television."

"Speaking of, I actually wouldn't be surprised if your bribed them to keep the show running just so you could make out with me," he said kidding, "What did you say something about me being gorgeous, having a great body and damn fine hair? Was that it?" He laughed

"Shut up," she swatted him and then stood up to grab her bottle of water.

"Nu Uh, not until you admit it," Patrick smiled playfully.

"Admit what?" Ellen let her accent slip out a little.

"That you want me," Patrick said cockily.

"What is with you?" Ellen asked shaking her head.

"Ellen Pompeo admit it, you want me," he stood up and walked closer to her.

"You know, all this sexy stuff is getting to your head," she said starting to laugh as he began tickling her side.

"Admit it," he said as she laughed hysterically.

"Fine, fine, I want you, I want you," she said slightly out of breathe, still laughing. She took a second and stepped away from him, "And for the record, Meredith won't be kissing you because you have a wife you didn't tell her about remember?"

"Oh that's right," Patrick recalled enthusiastically.

"Speaking of wives, are we having dinner together tonight?" Ellen asked sipping her water bottle.

"Yeah, I talked to Jill, she thinks it's a great idea," Patrick smiled.

"Good, I told Chris that I'd call him when we leave the set," Ellen explained.

"Sounds Good to me," Patrick said walking toward the door. "It's almost 6:30 so we should head over to the set."

"Right," Ellen said turning and scrambling through her bag, "Patrick, have you seen my…" as she began to ask for it, Patrick handed her, her script. "Oh, thanks," she took it out of his hand. He held the door for her as she stepped down from their trailer. She looked up at him, their eyes twinkled together. "So you think he's really going to leave his wife for her," Ellen asked about their characters as they walked toward the actual set door.

He reached for the door, "If it was me," he spoke softly, "I would." He finished as he held the door for her. She didn't walk through it for a second, she just looked at him. She was mesmerized by his sultry stare.

"When you…" Ellen started to question him and then hesitated. "I mean, when you…" she hesitated again and just walked through the door, "oh never mind."

"Okay then," Patrick said following her inside.

Ellen walked on the set and instantly walked to TR's side, who she was filming her first scene with. Patrick watched her from across the room. He never imagined that they would become such good friends. He thought about the first time he met her. He thought about the audition and how different it felt. Different than any audition he had ever been to before. It was real and exciting. With one kiss of Meredith Grey's lips, he knew that he and Ellen would do great things together.

He must have been contemplating longer than he thought, because before he knew it, his co-star was calling him to join the scene.

"Hey McDreamy," Ellen called with a smile. "Let's go." He returned the smile and joined her on the side of the set.

The first day of filming was even longer than they had anticipated. By the time Ellen got home, it was nearly 10:00 o'clock. "Hey babe," She kissed Chris and then pulled her cell phone out of her bag. She dialed Patrick's number.

"Hey you," he answered.

"Hey," she smiled, even though he could not see her. "we're still doing dinner right?"

"We already ate without you," Patrick said.

"Oh," Ellen said a little depressed.

"Ellen, I'm kidding. Jill is almost done cooking," Patrick laughed.

"ha ha ha your so funny," Ellen said sarcastically. "We'll be there in five minutes. Tell Jill I'm very excited to meet her." Ellen clicked the phone off.

Patrick walked into the kitchen, were Jillian was pulling down wine glasses. "Ellen said she was excited to meet you," Patrick smiled touching his wife's shoulder.

"Oh good," Jillian attempted to smiled. "Here will you open this," Jill said handing Patrick the bottle of wine.

"Yeah," he answered softly as she reached for four glasses. "How long has Tallulah been asleep?" Patrick questioned.

"A couple hours," Jill answered, "she was tired."

Since Grey's Anatomy started filming, Ellen and Patrick had found out a lot about each other, the most ironic thing they found was that they were neighbors. The funny thing was, they had never seen each other before. Not at the park by their house, or the neighborhood grocery store or even the near by parties they had attended, then again they did live in Los Angeles. Land of billions and billions of people.

Though Patrick and Ellen had spent a lot of time together last year and a small amount over the summer hiatus, tonight was the first time Jill would meet Ellen. Jill had made it through the first few episodes of Grey's before she stopped watching. The scene in Shake Your Groove Thing, where Derek had kissed Meredith on the lawn in front of her house, had thrown Jill over the edge. She knew her husband was acting and she knew he was very good at it, but she just couldn't bring herself to watch him kiss another woman like that on the big screen in her living room.

The door bell rang, "Do you want to get it, or should I?" Patrick asked.

"You get it," Jill said, "I'll be there in a sec."

"Okay," Patrick smiled setting the opened bottle of wine on the counter. Patrick walked anxiously to the door, he opened it, and saw Ellen standing there with Chris. He shook Chris' hands first, "You must be Chris," Patrick smiled.

"Yes," Chris nodded. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"You too," Patrick shook his hand firmly. He quickly turned to Ellen and hugged her. "Long time no see," he smiled squeezing her back playfully. Jillian walked into the room, Patrick step away from Ellen. "This is Ellen," Patrick practically glowed as he said it, "and her boyfriend Chris."

"Nice to meet you," Jillian smiled.

"You too," Ellen smiled widely, "Patrick talks so much about you."

"I'm sure he does," Jill said kind of under her breath. Jill shook Chris' hand. "Well dinner is ready in the Kitchen."

Jill and Ellen walked toward the kitchen, Patrick and Chris followed starting a conversation of their own.

"Thank you for having us," Ellen said genuinely.

"Any time, I told Patrick that we should do this a couples nights a week. You guys work such weird hours, it will give us a chance to still act civilzed and all eat together."

"Yeah, that's a great idea. It's so nice to be able to have friends who understand this hectic lifestyle." Ellen smiled.

A little while later they were all sitting around Jillian's dinning room table. They were drinking wine and eating the pasta and sauce that Jillian had prepared.

"Dinner is wonderful Jill," Ellen commented taking a sip of wine.

"Yes, it is" Chris smiled. "It's nice that we live so close to each other."

"I know it is, it's funny that we have never run into each other before," Jill commented. Patrick looked at Ellen and smiled. Ellen immediately started laughing. "What?" Jill asked confused.

"There's just kind of a funny story about that," Patrick laughed.

"What was it like the first week of filming," Ellen asked with a smile.

"First week," Patrick laughed, "try second day of filming."

"Oh my god you're right," Ellen smiled, "Anyway, so I leave the set, it was like 12 am and we had just filmed a scene together so we left at the same time. So he follows me out and I'm not paying attention and then he pulls past me on the highway and I wave,"

"And then I waved back, and I follow her off her exit and," Patrick chimed in.

"At that point I'm like, why is he following me? Did I leave something in the trailer?" Ellen laughs. "So I pick up my cell phone and call him, and I'm like why are you following me?"

"And I was like why are you following me?" Patrick laughs.

"And I was like Patrick you are behind me. How could I be following you? She laughed catching his stare.

"And then she turns down our street and that's when I was like where are you going?" Patrick broke eye contact and looked to Jill, who looked completely bored with the story.

"And I'm like, I'm going home where are you going?" Ellen said.

"And I was like Home and then I watch her pull into her driveway and then I pull into ours and I see her laugh and wave." Patrick laughed.

"You had to be there I guess," Ellen said noticing neither Chris or Jill were laughing.

Ellen and Patrick had done a pretty good job masking their off screen chemistry until that moment. Ellen smiled at Patrick across the table, Patrick returned it with his eyes alone. After a few awkward moments of silence, the table redirected their conversation and Ellen and Patrick once again hid their chemistry.

Should I continue? Review if you like it : ) Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry it's took me so long to update! I have been writing another fic and I forgot about this one! I will definitely continue as long as you guys want to read it. (or until it gets pulled off) This update has a lot of dialogue. I think it's just my writing style. If you guys don't like it, I can try and add more details and descriptions in the next update. Thanks for reading!

Though they were working 16 hour days, the week seemed to pass quickly. Tuesday Patrick brought them lunch to eat in their trailer during their break. Wednesday, they got to the set an hour early, which was an extremely ridiculous hour of the morning. Ellen brought coffee and bagels and they sat in front of their trailer in sweat shirts.

"Ellen it's still dark outside. What are we doing here this early?" Patrick wined.

"Oh stop wining," she swatted him and then handed him a coffee. "I brought breakfast," she smiled. He took a bagel out of her hand. They walked the lot for almost an hour before the rest of the cast started arriving.

Kate Walsh and Katherine Heigel walked toward them, "Still stealing my husband I see," Kate smiled playfully.

"Did you guys stay here all night?" Katie asked and then caught herself, "wow that was rude, I'm sorry."

"No, we just got here a little early," Ellen smiled.

"Oh right okay," Katie smiled walking, "See you guys later. It's just that-" Katie started to say something else.

"Katie," Kate said firmly, "leave it."

"Leave it," Katie asked, "what does that mean?"

"Just let it be," Kate raised her eyebrows.

"You think something happened?" Katie asked her eyes suddenly curious.

"Now I didn't say that. I'm just saying, they just seem to have as much chemistry off screen as they do on." Kate commented.

Katie gave her a look and they continued on to their trailers.

Thursday they had planned again to have dinner together. It was only 8 o'clock when Ellen and Patrick left the set. They had worked late the night before. So, today they left at a decent time. Ellen walked into her house, Chris was sitting on the couch, she bent over and kissed him.

"I'm going to run and shower and then we are going to dinner at Patrick and Jill's if that's okay?" Ellen smiled.

"That's fine," Chris said preoccupied with the basketball game on TV.

Ellen showered quickly, she was excited to be home for once and not be tired from the day. She blew her hair dry and put on a little make up. She picked out a plain little dress and she threw it on with a pair of scandals. She walked downstairs a half an hour later.

"What are you so dressed up for?" Chris asked pleasantly.

"I'm really not," she laughed. "You just never get to see me in real clothes anymore."

"I guess not," he laughed.

"Ready?" she asked with a smiled.

"Yeah," he flipped off the TV.

Jillian chopped lettuce in the kitchen, while Patrick was putting Tallulah to bed. After Tallulah had fallen asleep Patrick joined Jill in the kitchent. Jill had the table set and ready for their guests.

"How was your day?" Patrick asked.

"Fine," she responded not looking away from the cucumbers she was cutting. "How was yours?" she looked up with a smiled.

"Good, I'm glad I am home earlier than usual," he smiled.

"Me too, I'm glad, Ellen and Chris could join us for dinner again," Jill smiled.

The loud ring of the door bell interrupted their conversation.

"I'll get it," Patrick smiled. He walked into the foyer and opened the front door, only Chris was standing there. Chris smiled and extended his hand.

"Patrick, nice to see you again," he nodded, shaking Patrick's hand.

"You too," Patrick said with a grin.

"Ellen is on the phone with one of her sisters, she'll be in a second," Chris explained.

"Oh okay," Patrick said, walking toward the kitchen, "Jill is finishing dinner in the kitchen."

"Smells wonderful," Chris said kindly.

"Hi, Chris," Jill smiled as she stirred something over the stove.

"I'm going to go make sure I left the door open for Ellen," Patrick said disappearing from the kitchen. He went to look out the front door and he saw her walking in. He instantly smiled, "Wow," he was a little shocked at how beautiful she looked. He was used to seeing her in light blue scrubs and sweat pants.

"What?" she asked confused.

"You look beautiful," he said hesitantly.

She laughed lightly, "Thanks McDreamy," She raised an eyebrow playfully and then hugged him. Ellen walked into the kitchen with a smile, "Hi Jill."

"Hi Ellen," Jill smiled.

"Dinner smells wonderful," Ellen complimented her.

"Thank you," Jill responded, "It's only going to be grilled chicken salad." Jill waved it off.

The evening went wonderfully and so did the next time they had dinner together and the next. By the fifth time they had dinner together. The four of them had grown to be great friends. Ellen and Patrick had made an unspoken pact to conceal just how well they got along until the four of them were friends. Ellen walked into Patrick's foyer and hugged Jill. As Jill greeted Chris, Ellen turned to Patrick. The look in his eyes was different tonight. She smiled, "Hi Patrick," she hugged him. He touched her soft hair as he hugged her.

"Hey Ellie," He whispered tenderly in her ear.

Jillian watched for a moment, realizing the hug had lasted longer than it should have. Patrick and Ellen uncomfortably separated.

Jill shot Patrick an evil stare, Patrick turned away, showing everyone to the dinning room.

The awkward moment passed and was filled with friendly conversation.

"Can you believe that rain today?" Ellen asked glancing out the window closest to her.

"No it was awful," Jill agreed.

"We live in L.A it rains twice a year, I think we can deal with it," Patrick chimmed in.

Ellen laughed. "Your right,"

Ellen sipped her wine, a drip trickled down her chin, Patrick laughed as she wiped it off.

"Will you pass me the salt?" Patrick asked. Ellen giggled passing it to him. "Why is that funny?" Patrick smiled.

Ellen laughed again, "You really don't remember?"

Patrick thought for a second, "Oh god, when you spilled it all over the table on the set."

"And then the set director yelled at you," Ellen giggled.

"and you let me take the blame," Patrick smiled shaking his head.

"I really needed the job," Ellen laughed. "Oh and okay can I just say that they 'She's my wife' comment was extremely painful!"

"Oh god I know, it hurt me to say it." Patrick laughed. "Because everyone knows that I'm still in love with you and I think Addison is going to be a bitch. Love Kate though,"

"Kate is great," Ellen agreed

"Okay Dr. Seuss," Patrick laughed.

"Oh shut up," Ellen waved him off.

"Make me," Patrick said playfully.

"Oh Kayy," Jill accentuated the word. "Dessert anyone?" Jill broke the moment.

"Me please," Chris smiled.

"No thanks, Jill," Ellen answered.

"Yeah, I'll pass too," Patrick agreed, not taking his eyes off Ellen.

Ellen broke eye contact and cleared her throat, "I'm getting tired," Ellen yawned.

Jill returned to the table with cake for her and Chris.

"Oh, Jill, I was wondering if you were busy Saturday, I was going to do some shopping, and I was hoping you could help me with winter colors for make up?" Ellen asked with a smile.

"I already made plans with a friend," Jill obviously lied.

"Oh, another time then," Ellen said uncomfortably.

"I'll go with you," Patrick said playfully.

"hah, thanks but your not the kind of shopping partner I was looking for."

"Pick me, Choose me, Love me…"

"Oh god, I can't handle you anymore," Ellen laughed.

A few moments later they parted for the night. Patrick showed them out. For some reason he could shake the smile on his face. And then he walked into the kitchen. He instantly noticed that Jill was upset, as slammed the drawers.

"Jill," Patrick said walking further into the kitchen, "Tallulah's sleeping."

"Right," Jill said with attitude.

"What is your problem?" Patrick asked.

"Oh Ellen, it was hard for me to say, everyone knows I'm still in love with you." Jillian mocked him.

"Stop it," Patrick said.

"You should have, threw her on the kitchen table and fucked her right in our dinning room."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Make me? Make me? Patrick what are you like 10 years old." Jill yelled.

"You were flirting with her right in front of me!"Jill yelled.

"Ellen?" Patrick yelled back.

"No Chris" Jillian yelled sarcastically

"I spend everyday with her Jill. I was just being myself," Patrick said angrily.

"Because your just friends," Jillian shrugged.

"Jillian what are you trying to say?"

"I'm trying to say I would be terrified to know what you two do when I'm not around, because you act like your in love when I'm in the fucking room!"

"Damn it Jill," Patrick shook his head. "There is nothing going on between us."

"Are you kidding me, even if you don't see it, and you would have to be blind not to but you are in love with her. You treat her like she is your best friend, and you get to kiss her and touch her and that's suppose to all be okay, because that's what you do. It's your job, but its not okay because you are falling for her."

"You're INSANE!" Patrick yelled. "You're Fucking crazy Jill."

"I'm not insane, I'm invisible! You completely ignore me when I am within a mile of her and it doesn't look like her husband was getting much attention either."

"Chris is her boyfriend," Patrick added without thinking.

"Right," Jill half laughed, "I'm done fighting with you about this." Jillian left the room in anger.


	3. Chapter 3

Days had past and they had finally stopped fighting. Patrick was less affected by her extreme accusations and Jill had dropped the matter entirely. Until he got a phone call on Saturday morning.

"Hey," he answered instantly smiling. His face dropped as he looked up at Jillian, "Well I think Jill's thing might have gotten canceled, so maybe she'll go with you know. I'll call ya back in five, El." Patrick hung up the phone.

"El?" Jill asked raising an eyebrow.

Patrick was reminded of his anger, " Yes, El. She wants you to go make-up shopping with her."

"Oh yeah, that just sounds great," Jillian said with attitude, "I'll go shopping with the woman whose sleeping with my husband."

"Okay Jill, okay." Patrick shook his head hoping that it would take away her screeching voice. It didn't. As the idea popped into his head, he decided that he wouldn't think twice about. He would act impulsively for once. "I'm going with her." Patrick shrugged standing up and walking out the door.

As he got into his car, he picked up his cell phone. "Hey, I'll be at your house in like 2 minutes."

"What? Are you serious?" Ellen asked.

"Yes, I thought we were going shopping," Patrick said confused.

"We are, at like 2, not 10," Ellen laughed. "I'm still in my pajamas."

"Nice," Patrick laughed. "You better get dressed fast." He said realizing that his stress was slowly fading away.

"You can just come inside and wait in my living room," Ellen said.

"Oh god, how long is this going to take," Patrick asked.

"Hours, and hours and hours," Ellen laughed. "20 minutes tops."

"Okay, I'm here."

Patrick let himself in to Ellen's house. He looked around for a long moment, taking in his surroundings. Every part of the house perfectly fit Ellen's personality. He tossed his keys to the table and sat on the couch. He could suddenly smell Ellen's perfume drifting from her bedroom. He inhaled and let her smell fill his nose and then his brow furrowed. He ran his hands through his hair, stressed again. He stood instantly and started to pace. After forty minutes of pacing he collapsed to the couch. "Today El?" he shouted wearily up the stairs, "Please."

"I'm coming," she laughed. Her laugh shot a tingle through his stomach and then she walked out of her bedroom in a loosely fit black dress.

"Wow," he sighed. "You look.." Suddenly his head was filling with words. Why did he feel like this, so stressed and trapped all of the sudden. "You look beautiful," he finished with a sigh. And then he had to lighten the mood, "You could have told me we were going to a red carpet event."

"Oh be quiet," Ellen picked up her purse.

Patrick opened the front door for her and held it as she walked out. He reached around to make sure it was locked and then shut the door. He watched her walk down the steps. She stood at the bottom and looked up at him, her hair twinkling in the sunlight. "I'll drive," Patrick smiled.

"Okay." Ellen nodded, "Is the Beverly Center okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Patrick returned the nod.

"So your wife ditched me." Ellen smiled as Patrick opened the car door for her.

"She didn't ditch you," Patrick lied.

"Thanks," Ellen nodded as she climbed into the car. Moments later he was sitting next to her in the driver's seat. Ellen laughed, "You know something, you are a very good actor, but you are a very bad liar."

Patrick smiled, "I think she's a little nervous about our friendship."

Ellen nodded, "Why wouldn't she be. We practically make out every day on the set and your," she thought for a second realizing it was the first time she would say it, "you're like my best friend."

"I'm your best friend?" Patrick asked softly.

Ellen looked into his eyes, "well yah," she smiled. "I spend more time with you then I do with Chris."

Patrick squeezed Ellen's hand as they pulled up to a stop light. Ellen cleared her throat, "I think you need to just reassure Jill that we are nothing more than really good friends."

"You're right," Patrick smiled, knowing that she wasn't right at all. It was going to take a hell of a lot more than simply reassuring her. But Ellen was trying to help.

"She'll be fine. On second thought, I changed my mind, what if we do the Westfield shopping center, in Century City instead?" Ellen asked.

"That is fine with me," Patrick nodded. "Not that I will be buying any make-up anyway."

Ellen smiled, "Are you sure, because you could really use some blush to brighten up your face."

"Really because I was thinking more of a red lip liner," he laughed. "Makes my lips look bigger you know?"

Ellen giggled at him, as they pulled into the parking lot. He pulled into the general public parking, "What no valet?" she smirked.

"Calls to much attention. You can't walk?"

"Oh that's right you don't want to be seen with me," she smiled.

"Yah, that's it exactly." he said sarcastically as he put the car in park.

They walked toward the entrance and both jumped onto the rigid black plastic of the escalator steps. Ellen looked to Patrick, who was playfully pouting. "What?" She asked.

"No elevators," he shrugged with a mischievous smile.

"Uh," Ellen laughed lightly shaking her head, "No wonder..."

"No wonder what?" Patrick asked interested by her comment.

"Nothing," she shook her head with a smile.

"No tell me." he insisted.

"Tell you what?" she asked.

"What your thinking?" he answered seriously.

"I was thinking that we should do this more often," she grinned full of guilt.

"You my dear," he smiled, "Are not a good liar either."

"I wasn't lying, I was changing the subject." Ellen smiled, "There is a difference."

"Right," he nodded with his glittering eyes.

"But I really do mean it," Ellen looked him in the eye, "we should do this more often." She was suddenly captivated by the twinkle in his eyes. They continued the stare contest until the side walk nearly ended. Patrick glanced up to see the Pink Taco, to his left.

"We missed Sephora," Patrick said softly under his breath barely breaking eye contact with her.

Ellen broke out into a smile, "I guess we did." She turned to go back. The sun was shining brightly, as she flipped her sunglasses over her eyes. They walked shoulder to down the tile paved walkway.

Ellen had tried on countless shades of make up, before Patrick had remembered that he had stolen the winter color book, that Jill had just selected for her clients. "Oh," he said suddenly.

"What?" She jumped away from the mascara as if it were some kind of animal. He reached in his back pocket and pulled out a small pamphlet. He held it out in front of her.

"Winter colors," he flashed his dazzling McDreamy smile.

Ellen laughed, "Where did you get that?"

"Jill," he shrugged.

"Does she know you have it?" Ellen asked slightly concerned.

"Well...no," his voice innocent and childish.

"You stole it??" She blurted out.

"I didn't steal it," he shrugged, trying to calm her with his voice, "She gives them to all of her clients, she won't even know its gone."

"I'm not a client!" Ellen said anxiously. "She hates me."

"She doesn't hate you." Patrick shook his head.

"She hates me and you stole her little book of make-up secrets... for me." her eyes were wide.

"I'll tell her it was for someone else," he waved it off.

"Like who? Who else would it be for?" Ellen asked.

"I don't know...my other girlfriend," he smiled. Why had he said other girlfriend. Other... as if he was implying Ellen was his girlfriend and he had another beside her.

"Everything's a joke to you," she shook her head.

"Oh keep your panties on..." he smiled mischievously, "or don't." She swatted him hard, "ouch."

She realized that a few of the other customers shot annoyed stares their way. "See everything is a joke," she whispered looking back to the make up.

"Well do you want it?" he asked waving it in front of her face. She gave him a dirty look and turned her head. "Come on I know you want it." he smiled. She grabbed it quickly out of his hand. "Your welcome."

A half hour, four lip glosses, sixteen eye shadows and eleven shades of nail polishes later, Patrick and Ellen walked out of Sephora.

"So back to work tomorrow," Patrick smiled.

"Yes, we don't have very many scenes together," Ellen frowned slightly, "It's going to be a boring episode."

Patrick laughed, "You love me that much huh? You're life is boring without me."

"What can I say," she shrugged, "Your just soo Dreamy," she mocked a smitten tone.

"Wow your a bitch," he smiled.

"If I was nice all the time you would get all cocky and it would go straight to your sexy hair."

"You think my hair is sexy?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly my point, straight to your head," she ran her hand through his hair.

They spent what was left of the day at her house, cooking pizza and talking about their pasts. Ellen's living room was dimly lit. What little sunlight was left in the day streamed through the window. They sat on Ellen's couch less then a foot apart. Ellen had her legs folded in Indian style, facing him directly. Patrick was sitting more formally, his feet on the ground and his hands in his lap. She was intently listening as he told her how he thought he would never act again. How he settled down and gave all of his dreams up.

"When I least expected it...when I finally gave up, they all walked into my life," he explained softly.

"All?" Ellen asked curiously.

"You know, the ability to act successfully, fame, fortune, love..." Patrick looked into Ellen's eyes. He suddenly felt the air thicken and the space between the felt like it was getting smaller. Did it just feel like that or was it actually getting smaller? She was leaning toward him, he suddenly realized he was leaning too. There faces were inches apart, Ellen glanced down at his lips. Her breath quickened. Patrick swallowed hard. Suddenly the timer on the stove went off. Ellen instantly popped up to get pizza out of the oven. As she walked away the moment faded, as if it had never existed. They both questioned their perspectives of the moment and determined that whatever they thought happened or was going to happened, did not.

"Do you need help?" Patrick cleared his throat and then asked politely.

As he did, Ellen returned to the room, "Nope," she smiled brightly carrying the pizza on a large round platter. She set it on the coffee table and then sat on the couch next to Patrick.

"No plates?" he asked.

"It's pizza," she looked at him oddly, "who needs plates?"

He laughed, "Good point."

"It's not bad for frozen pizza," Ellen smiled as she took second bite.

"It's good," he agreed. "We should stock up our trailer," he smiled. "Have pizza parties after filming."

"Do you even know you?" Ellen laughed.

"What?" he laughed.

"You don't even want to talk to me after filming." Ellen smiled.

"That's not true," Patrick insisted.

"Oh it is," Ellen raised her eyebrows and nodded.

"Well you try being perfect Derek Shepard all day and then trying to be happy with yourself at the end of the day," Patrick said firmly with and underlying sadness.

Ellen looked at him seriously, "Playing Derek Shepard makes you feel bad about yourself?"

"I don't know," Patrick rolled his eyes trying to act like he was joking. He didn't look at her.

Ellen had spent too much time with him to fall for that. She knew him to well, "Patrick," she said shocked, swatting his arm. He looked up at her, his eyes troubled. She touched his arm,"Patrick," she said again but softer this time. "You are so much better than Derek Shepard. He is imaginary, no one is really that perfect, and If anyone is it's you. He is who he is because of you. Without you he would just be words on a piece of paper. Your are kind and caring but you are moody and grumpy and stubborn as hell but that's what I love about you. It makes you human."

"But he is this extraordinary person, who saves lives and is in love with an amazing woman..." he sighed.

"So are you," Ellen looked deeply into his eyes. "You changed my life," she said sincerely.

Patrick smiled taking hold of her hand that was resting on his arm. "Thank you," he said holding it tightly.

"Don't thank me," she smiled. Her eyes were again hypnotized by his sultry stare. Ellen's smile slowly drifted off her face. Her glance fell to her hand, that was still wrapped in Patrick's. The friendly expression of affection had crossed its line minutes before. She looked back up to his eyes, they seemed dazed and distant, like he was in deep thought. Instead of snapping him out of it by withdrawing her hand from his, she joined him in thought. The pair sat in quite thought, hand in hand on the black leather couch in Ellen's darkening living room. Though she had expected it to be the first thing on her mind, the fact that Patrick's fingers were now entangled in hers didn't seem to concern her. She thought about the show, and if it would be successful after its second season. She wondered if Derek and Meredith would ever be together, she thought about Chris, questioning how much longer they would be together. After what seemed like a very long time her thoughts circled back to Patrick. She wondered what he was thinking about, as she saw her reflection in his eyes. It was then that she had one moment of pure clarity and she knew that she was what he was thinking about. And then as if someone had suddenly erased her memory it was gone. His eyes drifted away from hers as his cell phone ring broke the silence of the room. He withdrew his hand from hers quickly. So quickly that it frightened her, she practically jumped.

"Hello," his voice cracked awkwardly as he answered it. "I know, I know, I know," he nodded and then looked up at Ellen and smiled rolling his eyes. "I'm on my way home now. I'll be there in two minutes." he clicked the off button and then looked to Ellen.

"Go home," she smiled, "and make her feel better about our friendship."

"I will," he nodded and then reached to hug her, "I had fun today."

"Me too," she returned the platonic hug and then showed him to the door.


End file.
